Afterwards
by User 4575
Summary: Post Doomsday. Originally a series, it splits into several parts. A possible happy ending for the Doctor and Rose. Theoretically complete but I could update it later. T to be safe.
1. One for Sorrow

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Author's Notes: One of two pieces showing the Doctor's and Rose's feelings after 'Doomsday'._

**_One for Sorrow,_** sadness at what he'd lost, the bridges he'd burned  
**_Two for Joy,_** love of life  
**_Three for a girl, _**Jo Grant  
**_Four for a boy, _**Adric  
**_Five for silver,_** quicksilver personality  
**_Six for gold,_** both his hearts  
**_Seven for a secret, never to be told, _**the reason behind it all  
**_Eight for a wish, _**for the War to end  
**_Nine for a kiss,_** his whole life in exchange  
**_Ten for a bird you should not miss: _**he shouldn't miss her — but he does...

_A/N 2: These stories were originally posted on another site under a different pen name. Standard disclaimers apply.  
_


	2. All Alone

_A/N: To be sung to the tune of 'On My Own' from Les Mis._

All Alone

This is to be sung to the tune of "On My Own" from Les Mis)

All alone, pretending he's still with me

Though I'm sad, I'm sure that he'd forgive me

In the silence, he tells me that he loves me

And if I close my eyes he's landing from the stars above me.

Though I live by day I wish I didn't

In the night, he comes to me unbidden

Together, we travel through the Vortex

Without Daleks or Cybermen or anything to stop us.

Yes, I know it's only in my mind

That it wasn't like that when I was with him

I know he or I could have died

Still I knew

He would die for me

I love him, but every day I'm learning

How to live, despite this awful yearning

He asked me to live a fantastic life

I try and it gets easier maybe someday I'll manage

This Earth has no Doctor to protect it

So I must help Torchwood to instead

I don't want to, but still I do my duty

They tell me that I'll find someone and he could make me happy,

I found him, and now I'm all alone.

_A/N 2: These stories were originally posted on another site under a different pen name.  
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	3. Never, Ever: Prologue

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Author's Notes: This WILL have a happy ending, honest!  
You are the nth visitor to this site, and have won the exclusive right to read and review! Please (please, please) use it. It's my first fic and I need the feedback. :)_

**Prologue**

**The Doctor**

I-

I love-

Rassilon, I can't even say it in my own head. How's Rose going to feel when she comes back and -

She's not coming back. She's NOT COMING BACK! She's my Rose and I love her and she's _NOT COMING BACK!_

I said it. I love her. I love Rose Tyler. I, Sir Doctor of TARDIS, knighted by Queen Victoria, love Dame Rose Tyler of the Powell Estate. Now all I have to do is say it out loud.

"I -"

"I love -"

Oh dear.

This is driving me crazy

_Doctor? Doctor can you hear me? Doctor, is that you?_

Okay, now I _am_ crazy. That sounded like Rose.

_Just in case this is you, don't give up. And no regenerating. I like your face — and self — as they are._

I love you, Rose. Even if I am crazy.

**Rose**

I'll never see him again, I'll never see him again. Oh God, Doctor...

_I -_

_I love - _

Either I'm going mad, or that's the Doctor.

Doctor? Doctor can you hear me? Doctor, is that you?

Nothing.

Just in case this is you, don't give up. And no regenerating. I like your face — and self — as they are.

_I love you, Rose._

_A/N 2: These stories were originally posted on another site under a different pen name._


	4. Never, Ever: One: Torchwood

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Author's Notes: This WILL have a happy ending, honest!  
You are the nth visitor to this site, and have won the exclusive right to read and review! Please (please, please) use it. It's my first fic and I need the feedback. :)_

_**  
**_The Doctor hates hypocrisy. Practice what you preach. I mustn't give up... The Time Lords once controlled parallel travel. The Doctor told me that. He also said that they were a pompous, stuffy lot who loved order. The Time War almost certainly happened here, too, but who survived and who didn't seems to change quite a bit. Raxacoricofallapatorius died here, and so did the Gelth. But, some odd ones did survive, so there's a chance that they did, too. But how can I get their attention? The TARDIS always seemed to like me, at least the Doctor said so. Maybe if I can find one...

Torchwood came up empty. _The chameleon circuit broke. I could fix it, but I kind of like it the way it is._ Chameleon circuit. I wonder...

Got one! a Greek statue in one of the New Amsterdam galleries, supposedly by Michaelangelo, is a TARDIS. Or something else very weird, anyway. I got them to bring it in, but I can't open it.

I've had an idea. I still have the TARDIS key. I keep it in my pocket so I can't tell it's cold. Failing that, I'll knock SOS on the pedestal. Here goes —

I'm in! turns out this TARDIS developed a malfunction in the door circuit rather than the chameleon. Also, this Doctor is a woman called Susan. How odd. I asked about the other Time Lords. She said that there are a few left. "Corrupt, egotistical, stuffy, pompous gits. Like I was."  
"Why did you stop?"  
"In memory of my grandfather. He was a rebel, didn't believe in anything the others stood for, but he — he - "  
"Didn't survive the war?"  
She nodded, looking like she was about to cry.  
I put my arm around her. "Who was he? What was his name, I mean."  
"The Doctor."  
"WHAT?"  
She looked up, puzzled. "The Doctor. That was his name."  
"He's _dead_?"  
"Yes!"  
"Oh, God." I was both shocked and upset.  
"Wait — but — what — how — huh?"  
"Okay. My name is Rose Tyler, and I'm from a parallel universe. In that universe, the Doctor is still alive. At least, I really hope he is. Hang on. You're his _granddaughter_?"  
"Yes. Wasn't I in your universe?"  
"No! Wait. Actually, I don't know. He did say he had at least one kid, but... Oh, God!"  
"What?"  
"They're all dead!"  
"_What_?"  
"All the Time Lords except him. They're all dead. His family..."  
Susan looked stunned. "_All_ dead?"  
"Every one."  
"Grandpa!"  
"That's what I'm here about. He's lost every member of his family, he's watched millions die, he knows I love him, he cares about me, and he is NOT going through that again."  
"How do you know he cares? You're _human_, for all you've voidstuff bleeding from every pore."  
"He was willing to risk destroying the universe to save my life. He blew up a sun, just to say goodbye. Oh, Doctor!" I started sobbing at that point. Susan put her arms round me, and made 'there, there' noises.  
"Okay, it's all right, it's all right...Why have you come to see me, though?"  
"The Time Lords control parallel travel."  
"How do you know that?"  
"The Doctor told me. Help me, please!"  
"Give me one good reason. They really don't like me."  
"I'll give you two. One: he'll be really happy to see me again, and we both want him to be happy. Two: you'll see him again, alive and well."  
"I'll do it. But how will I convince the others, pray?"  
"They love order. Obsessed with maintaining the status quo. Tell them I'm from another universe. I don't belong here, any more than Daleks do. They can get rid of me, easily. Hint that you might want to stay, too. They'll jump at the chance."  
"All right. Let's go."  
"Wait! I need to tell Torchwood. They'll tell Mum."  
"What about death records?"  
"In this universe, I was never born."

_A/N 2: These stories were originally posted on another site under a different pen name.  
_


	5. Never, Ever: Two: TARDIS

_  
Author's Notes: This WILL have a happy ending, honest!  
You are the nth visitor to this site, and have won the exclusive right to read and review! Please (please, please) use it. It's my first fic and I need the feedback. :)_

**_  
_**  
It's a lonely universe without Rose. Sure, I've a new companion, but she can't hold a candle to Rose. She's smart, funny, athletic, and if our Jack's any indication, sexy too. But I don't love her.  
_Oh, Rose._  
Oh dear. _That's_ happening again. I'll have to do something if I don't want a full blown MPD attack on my hands.

"_I love you, Rose!"_ I don't care if there's a crisis on. I don't care if the world is coming to an end, and humanity is seeing its last hope acting like a lunatic. I'm standing on top of the TARDIS, screaming at the top of my lungs in two voices. "_I love you, Rose!_ I love you." more quietly. "I love you." I'm _not _crying. It's just the wind, that's all.

Crisis averted. Whoop de do. The Doctor, Captain Jack Harkness and Martha Jones have saved the Earth, yet again. I wonder if Rose knows I'm only doing it for her.

What in all the worlds - ? I _think_ I sense -

"Grandpa!"  
"_Susan!"_ But how? You - I _killed_ you!"  
"I'm from a parallel world. There are enough of us left there that I could come visit. I brought you a present..."  
"Really? Wha-" I don't — it can't be — "_Rose_?"  
"Doctor!"

_A/N 2: These stories were originally posted on another site under a different pen name._


	6. Never, Ever: Three: Gooseberry

_  
Author's Notes: This WILL have a happy ending, honest!  
You are the nth visitor to this site, and have won the exclusive right to read and review! Please (please, please) use it. It's my first fic and I need the feedback. :)_

She was telling the truth. He _does_ love her. The look on his face when he saw me — that kid wasn't kidding when she said we were dead, either. There's no-one else here. _No-one_ — was nothing compared to when he saw her. He looked like somebody had told him that not only was every dead innocent alive again but the Time Lords had decided to agree with him about protecting the universe from evildoers, and somebody had handed him the answer to the Skasis Paradigm, all at once.  
He held out his arms, and she ran into them. He whispered something, so soft I couldn't hear it, but he's been hanging without Time Lords too long. I can hear his every thought. He said 'I love you.' And he was _crying_. I saw. They both were, but _Grandpa!_ Crying! he's got it bad, all right. I can see where she's coming from, at least. Even I can see that this time he's quite hot. Still got it, as he himself would say. But for him to fall for a - a _stupid ape_ - he's always liked them but this is ridiculous! - I don't know if he's still my Grandfather. Not anymore.  
I coughed, awkwardly.  
"I've got to get back —" They looked up from gazing blissfully into each others' eyes and turned towards me.  
"Of course. Thank you, Susan. Thank you so much."  
"I owe you one."  
"No, you don't. You gave me the chance to say goodbye to my grandfather. If anything, I owe you."  
"Say goodbye!"  
"In my Universe, you ended the Time War. But it killed you."  
"How...?"  
"You absorbed the Time Vortex. You were on Eleven to start with, and destroying the Daleks wasn't at all good for you. Twelve started restoring other races, but when you hit Thirteen you panicked and started restoring us. Thirteen died half way through that process."  
"I see." Was I ginger... "But can't you stay?"  
"Every Universe's Time needs a Champion. You of all people should know that. Besides, you're in love with a - forgive me, Rose - a _stupid ape_. My Grandfather wouldn't be."  
"You fell in love with one."  
"Yes, but I didn't call them that, not then."  
"True enough. I'll tell you why we're different, your Grandfather and I."  
"Shoot."  
"I killed everyone. The Daleks were invading Gallifrey, and I stopped them. But in so doing, I killed every living thing within a parsec. The TARDIS saved me, but even so Eight died. The TARDIS saved my life, but Rose saved my soul. She took Nine's worthlesss carcass and made life worth living again. She was so young, so innocent that she believed in me. And so she changed me. 'I do think I see some shred of goodness in John Proctor. Not enough to weave a banner with, but white enough to keep it from such dogs.' And he gave his life for her, as she would have for him."  
"No, you are not my Grandfather. Still you wear his face, and you were him, once." I hugged him, "Goodbye, Grandfather."  
"Goodbye, Susan. Give 'em hell for me."  
"Susan, you brought me back to my Doctor. I owe you more than I can ever —"  
"Goodbye, Rose."  
And I went back into my TARDIS and went home. I never saw either of them again, but that was fine by me. It's too freaky to see even someone wearing his face looking that way at any stupid ape.

_A/N 2: These stories were originally posted on another site under a different pen name.  
_

_A/N 3: The 'John Proctor' quote is from Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible' and is what he says in the moment that he regains his self-respect, and quite probably his soul._


	7. Never, Ever: Epilogue

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Author's Notes: You are the nth visitor to this site, and have won the exclusive right to read and review! Please (please, please) use it. It's my first fic and I need the feedback. :) Last chapter of this bit. I TOLD you there was a happy ending! ;)_

"Where are we going, Doctor?"  
"A place called the Crossroads."  
"What's at the Crossroads to interest a time traveller and his company?"  
"Nothing. But there's much to interest the time traveller's wife."  
"_Wife!_"  
"It's a place outside of spacetime proper. It's kind of like a Zero Room, but there's lots of people there. It's got bazaars, boutiques, museums, all sorts."  
"What did you mean about the time traveller's wife, then?"  
"It's also a place of interspecies cooperation. It's the only place in existence to perform binding interspecies marriage."  
"You still haven't explained that 'wife' comment, Doctor."  
"Rose..."  
"Doctor..."  
"Don't make this any harder than it already is. It's a place where any member of any species can marry any other member of any other species in a legally and emotionally binding ceremony accepted throughout the Universe."  
"Doctor, are you asking..."  
"RoseTylerwillyoumarryme?" _There_, he thought, I've said it. _Wasn't so hard, now, was it_? "We can go on saving the world and/or universe, just you and me, or with help — not that we need it — same as before. We'll just both have rings, and..."  
"Yes!"  
"Really? You mean that?"  
"Yes of course I do! Doctor?"  
"Rose."  
"Can we have kids?"  
"Don't see why not. Be good for both of us."  
"But what about me ageing? And dying?"  
"The Void does funny things about that. Makes you live longer, by about ten years. Besides, we're marrying on Crossroads. The wedding itself helps smooth out things like that."  
"Is there another universe gap, Doctor?"  
"Between our Universe and Susan's? Yes, probably. Why?"  
"So I can tell Mum — and Dad — you're making an honest woman of me."  
"Hadn't we better wait until you're pregnant for that?"  
"Look out, universe. The Doctor and his wife are coming!"

_A/N 2: These stories were originally posted on another site under a different pen name.  
_


	8. Nightmares, and why her, Doctor?

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Author's Notes: This does work as a standalone, but it's probably better if you read 'Never, Ever' as that's the backbone of the series.  
PLEASE R&R_

Ever since her return from the other Universe, or the Susan Universe as the Doctor called it, Rose had slept in the TARDIS, with the Doctor — there if not actually asleep — and had slept well.

"We've got to get back to the TARDIS! It's almost nightfall!" Rose called  
"No time! Duck in here, Rose!" Martha responded. She and Rose ducked into the abandoned house, just as a troop of abzorbaloffs came past.  
"What the hell are they doing here?" Rose asked  
"Feeding. The dictator here uses them for his personal guard, but lets them out to feed at night, thus enforcing his curfew and paying them at the same time. Almost Nazist!" Martha shuddered.  
"What about the Doctor and Jack?"  
"If they've any sense, they're back in the TARDIS or in hiding, like us. We're going to have to wait here all night, so we may as well sleep."  
"You sleep. I'll watch. We're nearly as tasty as the doctor, me especially."  
"Humph!"  
"You haven't been the Vortex, or travelled between Universes, or met more than one Time Lord."  
Grudgingly, she answered "True. But you need sleep too. I'll watch first."  
"I'll watch first. I don't know if I'll be able to sleep now and you look tired."  
"Okay then. Good night."

"Phew! That was a close one!" Jack panted  
"Where're Rose and Martha?"  
"An excellent question, Doctor. Probably they've found somewhere to hole up for the night."  
"I hope so, Jack. I really do hope so. Either way, we're in for a long night."

Martha yawned. "My watch now, Rose."  
"All right, but I'd be perfectly happy to -"  
"No. You need to sleep." I'm not letting you get another one over on me.  
Rose lay down and shut her eyes.

"No — Doctor — no — need — help — so cold — so lonely — know how — so alone — help me — all alone — nobody else — can't understand — no pills — please — I'll do it — for him — impossible — help me - can't give up — so hopeless — everywhere — nowhere — Doctor — Doctor!" Rose was sobbing by this point, and getting loud enough to be heard outside.  
"Shush! What're you playing at? Go back to sleep!"  
"Doctor — no — cold — alone — Doctor? — not here —"  
"Rose!" when Martha saw that she was asleep. she shook her awake. "Rose!"  
"No — help — wha?"  
"You were talking in your sleep. I had to wake you."  
"Oh, God, Martha, it was awful. Like the Susan Universe."  
"What do you mean?"  
"In my head. I was all alone. It's so cold there, Martha. There's no Doctor, nobody. I know how he feels, now."  
"But you said —"  
"They keep to themselves, even Susan. I don't know why, but it might be something to do with the Time War. Or the fact that we're from different universes."  
"What?"  
"It was always easier to talk to Mum or Mickey than to anybody else. Even little Peter."  
"Who?"  
"Little Peter Ross Tyler. Mum and — Dad's son. Peter for my real dad, Ross because you can't call a boy Rose. Mum and Dad each chose one name."  
"Fair enough. This happen every night?"  
"No, not since I got back. This is the first time I've slept outside the TARDIS, though"  
"Well maybe that's it. It's supposed to be telepathic, after all."  
"_She_**is** telepathic."  
"It's a machine!"  
"_She_ is alive. She has a soul."  
"How do you know?" Martha scoffed. "Machines can't have souls, anyway."  
"Your body is a machine. Humans have souls. Most of them, anyway. I know that the TARDIS has one because I've shared it."  
"Impossible!"  
"One: I travel with the Doctor. Impossible is what I do. Two: surely he told you about the Bad Wolf incident on Satellite Five, even if Jack didn't."  
"Why would Jack?"  
"He died. I brought him back to life."  
"Again: impossible. Nothing's left after the Daleks've finished. Anyway, why would _you_?"  
"I was one with the Vortex. Just what do you know about Bad Wolf?"  
"That it followed you and the Doctor about for a while, that the Bad Wolf helped defeat the Daleks twice; the first time the Doctor died, the second time she did; that every time the Doctor got to the point of actual suicide, he saw a bad wolf something and cheered up. That's about it."  
"Well, when we get back to the TARDIS, I'll get the Doctor to tell you all about it."  
"Sun's up."  
"Good."

"Rose!"  
"Doctor!"  
"Oh, thank Rassilon! We were worried that the good old Praetorian Guard out there'd got you."  
"I need to talk to you."  
"Fire away."  
"Inside, alone." They all went inside; the Doctor and Rose to one kitchen, Jack and Martha to another.  
"Okay, Rose, what's up?"  
"I remember. When I was the Bad Wolf, what I did. Doctor, I _killed_ you!"  
"Rose, it was a good thing. All the bad things I'd seen, I hadn't seen them with these eyes. All the bad things I'd _done_, I hadn't done with these hands. It put another life between me and the Time War. My only regret is that you were scared. D'you understand?"  
"Yeah, I guess. But why didn't you tell me?"  
"You might've remembered too much. You could see Time itself, and that's not good for you. Also, you might have left me."  
"I love you. Both yous! How could I leave?"  
"I didn't know that then. Not for sure. By the way, if this is confession time which it seems to be, there've been more than two mes."  
"I had a felling you'd say that. How many have there been then?"  
"Ten." the Doctor looked sheepish.  
"Phew! Doctor, you've got to talk to Martha."  
"What about?"  
"Bad Wolf."  
"You're right. I didn't because it was too raw, too painful. I will, later. Rose, love, you look tired."  
"A nightmare. It was nothing, but Doctor?"  
"What?"  
"I'm so sorry."  
"Hey, that's my line, cheeky! Why are you sorry?"  
"Because you're so alone, and I left!"  
"What do you mean, I'm so alone? Always got friends, me."  
"Yes, but no family. I felt it, Doctor. In the Susan Universe and last night, I felt it."  
"Felt what, Rose darling?"  
"Nothing."  
"Well if you felt -"  
"No, I felt _nothing_. In great, quivering capital letters!"  
"Ah. You _do_ understand. But why last night?"  
"Because the TARDIS wasn't there to protect me."  
"Come here. _I'm_ here to protect you now."  
"Doctor, can you hear me?"  
He didn't pretend to misunderstand. "Yes, faintly. I can't hear either of the others. Well, Jack just the tiniest bit, but only just barely if I concentrate. Why is that?"  
"All Torchwood employees get as much psychic training as they can absorb. I was the vice-head of Torchwood by the time I left, so I was the most psychically advanced human on Earth."  
"Vice-head equals most advanced?"  
"You and the TARDIS, quite literally, broadened my mind."

"So, there you have it. The story of the Bad Wolf from when I met her to when you met her."  
"I still don't see what's so damned special about her."  
"The TARDIS let her into her heart."  
"She ripped it open!"  
"The TARDIS let herself be ripped."  
"Humph."

"I really don't see why you chose her, Doctor."  
"You sure you want to hear this?"  
"Yep. I want to know why anybody that stubborn and narrow-minded got a place on the TARDIS with my Doctor."  
"I saved her life. A monster was coming for her, I grabbed her hand and I said 'Run!' I'd barely lost you at that point, and she was close enough without being too close. She wasn't like this when we met, either."  
"Maybe she's jealous."  
"Probably. There are better things to do in bed than talk about another woman, you know, love."  
"Like sleep, I know."  
"Oi!"  
"Joking, darling."  
"Quite right, too." he swallowed, suddenly. "I love you, you know that?"  
"You tell me often enough. I love you, too, though. Always."

_A/N 2: These stories were originally posted on another site under a different pen name.  
_


	9. The Wedding: Invitations

_Author's Notes: PLEASE R&R_

"So, Rose, who shall we invite to the wedding?"  
"Well, I'd like to ask Mum and dad, but we can't do that. Same with Mickey. I don't really know anybody else who _knows_. Except Jack, of course."  
"How about Sarah Jane?"  
"Great idea! I've been meaning to go see her. Correct her on the whole dead thing."  
"Well, I'd like to ask all the other mes."  
"Good, I'd like to meet them."  
"Rose, I think we can ask your mother. Not Mickey or your dad, though."  
"How, Doctor?"  
"Take her while she's still here and wipe her memory afterwards. If she doesn't agree to the wipe I'll wait till she's asleep and wipe the asking."  
"Lets!"

"So you're telling me that you're going to let my Rose get sucked into some other Universe?"  
"It was hardly a case of letting, Mum. Anyway, the lives of everybody on this planet are worth more than mine."  
"Anyway, that's not the point. I'm asking if you want to attend your daughter's wedding."  
"Of course I do. What's the catch?"  
"I'll have to wipe your memory afterwards. If you like, I'll bury it so after it's happened and we tell the current you you'll remember."  
"And if I say no?"  
"You won't have that memory, nor will you remember this conversation. I'll wipe it outright."  
"I'll go pack."

"Rose, do you ever miss the other Universe?"  
"Yeah, sometimes. For all I was trying to find you and get back, I did have a life. I never would have stopped looking, not till I died, but I think — after a while — a _long_ while — I could have been happy there. It'd be nice to visit, I know that. Oh, well, I'll get to talk to Mum anyway."

A message flashed up on nine TARDIS screens:  
**Hi, me. You are/I am cordially invited to my/your wedding to Rose Tyler (who is/will be my/your companion). The TARDIS likes/will like her and can talk to herself, so you will come. Companions (Especially Rose, Nine) not welcome, so get rid of them. You won't remember this afterwards, and will be returned to the exact second you left.  
Be you soon, see you sooner,  
Ten**

_A/N 2: These stories were originally posted on another site under a different pen name.  
_


	10. The Wedding: The Wedding Itself

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Author's Notes: PLEASE R&R_

In a suitably church-like room on Crossroads, with an orange sky just showing through the stained-glass pictures of monsters, men in robes, and TARDISes, a bride waited. Not Donna, this bride was more tastefully dressed in an ivory dress (plain white is boring, no?) with a sheer veil. Suddenly, an old man in an Edwardian suit burst in.  
"You're Rose Tyler, I presume. Where am I? I'm going to give me a peice of my mind, I mean fancy!"  
Ten came in, wearing a black suit and ivory tie (matching Rose's dress), his coat over one arm. "One! How are you, you old codger?"  
"Old codger! Respect your elders, young man!"  
"Yong man!" Ten almost doubled over laughing "Oh, dear. I'm nearly five times as old as you!" still chuckling, he added, "Rose, this is me. The first me, so for convenience's sake, he's One."  
"And which one are you again?..."  
"She doesn't know! And you're _marrying_ her! The Council will have your hide for this."  
"I'm Ten, Rose. And, One, I really, truly and honestly, at this point in my life I don't give a damn what the Council thinks. They cannot touch me or Rose, and never will be able to."

Suddenly, a little beatnik with a recorder popped his head round the door.  
"Ten! How wonderful! Still not ginger, alas, but closer! And you must be Rose. Oh, dear, you'll have me jealous of myself."  
Rose laughed. "And you are..."  
"Rose, may I introduce Two. Two, Rose Tyler, as you so accurately surmised."  
"Oh, dear. Ten, you haven't invited all of us, have you?"  
"Yes, One, of course I have! Haven't seen you guys for centuries! Besides, it's our wedding."  
"Erm, Do-Ten? Can I talk to you for a moment?"  
"Sure, Rose, what is it?"  
"Was..._that_ really you?"  
"Well...yes. You saw how much I changed when I regenerated. You'll say it again before we're through. If it's any comfort, I feel the same."

"Fancy pants!"  
"Two, _please_ restrain yourself!" said Ten and One at the same time. "You too, Three." as he snickered.  
"Three, _if_ you've stopped being childish, this is Rose."  
"Well, nice to know I've got some taste."  
"When you're all here, I'll tell you just how much taste."

"Oh, my God!"  
"Rose, this is Four. Four, Rose."  
"Hey, Four, new scarf!"  
"Yep. Special occasion, you know."  
Four and Two started comparing notes, as did Three and One. Ten was pacing, acting somewhat nervous, as Five came in.

"Five, how are you? Fresh celery, I see! Rose, Five."  
"Finally, a normal Doctor!"  
"Thank you, Rose. Special occasion, you know, Ten. Just not cricket do do anything else!"  
"Hey, Four, somebody who agrees with you!" and in an undertone to Rose, "_Please_don't get him started on cricket!"  
"Really? Oh, Hey Five!"  
The Doctors all converged at that point. Ten appeared to be giving them a talking-to about freaking Rose out, but they ganged up on him and started berating his fashion sense.  
"Hey, hey, this isn't what I usually wear, you know."  
"Good!" said six voices.

"Rose Tyler, I presume. Hi, I'm Six."  
"Um...hi..."  
"Whoa! What the _hell_ did I regenerate into!"  
"Oh, Lord, here's blandie. Rose, I apologise for my previous self."  
"I will make absolutely _certain_ I _never_ regenerate now. Rose, everybody, I deeply apologise for what I turned into."  
"Not your fault. I did the same."  
"Hey!" Three and Six said at once.

"Look out everyone! It's Seven."  
"Okay. Seven, this will be your wedding too. Just, for once in your span, leave be."  
"Oh, my God, he looks like my maths teacher!" It was Rose's turn to double over laughing.

At the sounds of a fight going on outside, One opened the door. Eight and Nine were arguing firecely.  
"How dared you? How bloody _dared_ you, you pretty boy?"  
"I _couldn't_! I just _couldn't_! Besides, you know the pattern. After a sensitive one you get a callous one."  
"You stupid fucking idiot! You can _never_ generalise from one experience! I came out _more_ sensitive than you. In the first minute of my life, you made me rip my own soul out. _I'm_ not a bloody amnesiac, either. If I hadn't met Rose, I don't know what I would've become. You couldn't have waited one fucking minute before you died. You had to make me do it!"  
"Doctor?" Rose choked out, "Doctor!"  
"Rose! Oh, my - Rose!" They hugged.  
"I thought I'd never see you again!"  
"GUYS!"  
"Yes, Ten?"  
"I want you all to know what Rose did to deserve to be my - our wife. Nine, you already know some of it. Rose healed our shattered soul after Nine pushed the button and destoyed Gallifrey to take the Daleks with them. Sorry, Nine. And Eight, he's right, it was bloody insensitive of you. You could have taken the burden of seeing ther Time War with you, but you just had to fob it off on Nine. All of us will be that much closer to the horror thanks to you. But it's not just that. The Cult of Skaro survived. They came out of the Void along with a few million Daleks and Cybermen. Rose helped me throw the Void open to suck them in, but by then we'd both been to another universe. The void started to close. Rose _let go_ of a secure hold to keep it open. She lost her weakened hold and would have fallen in but her father in the alternate universe took her there. She then _found her way back_."  
"Whoa..."  
"You let her get sucked in. You let the best thing that ever happened to us get _sucked into the void_ you pretty boy!"  
"It was hardly a case of _letting_, Nine. Besides, it killed me. I've only lived since she got back. You know how that feels, Nine. Gentlemen, Jackie, Sarah-Jane, I give us Rose Tyler, heroine."

The ceremony was brief and to the point. Afterwards, alone together in the TARDIS (the others were in their rooms), Ten and Rose talked.  
"Do you know, Doctor, I learned more about you in one night than in four years' travelling."  
"Well. Which of me did you like best?"  
"Well. Nine was the hardest. I mean, I watched him die for me. Four and One. Four was funny, and One was somehow...fresh. Young. And such a gentleman. Seven struck me as sneaky. Eight...how could he _do_ that?"  
"I've wondered that for a long time. I think...he had seen too much. _done_ too much. I just don't think he could stand to commit that final act. Besides, he was pretty badly injured. But I don't think I'll ever forgive him for doing that...to all of us."

_A/N 2: These stories were originally posted on another site under a different pen name.  
_


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